Draco's Freedom
by BrightlyMonotone
Summary: Lucius Malfoy is caught preforming deeds for the Dark side and is sent to Azkaban. With his father out of the way, Draco discovers a new freedom, and an unlikely friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**I WANT DRACO TO BE A GOOD LITTLE BOY!  So I wrote this story and I'm making him seem as though he is just an innocent boy with a cruddy past.  Obviously, as the years go on (in the books, anyway), Draco grows more and more vicious towards Harry and his friends.  Especially with the arrival of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Draco is also very rude to t hem in that one too, as I've been reading.  (In case you want to know, I was the first one at the book store, I got the second book off the rack, the first to walk out with it, and yes, I am very proud of that…LOL LOL!)**

**This story takes place just after Draco's father, Lucius, was tried for bad deeds performed for Lord Voldemort.  He was found guity, and is now serving time in Azkaban, as well being permanatly dismissed from the board of Governors of Hogwarts, also with a 12,000 Galleon fine from the Ministry of Magic.  This event cost the Malfoy's money, pride, and respect.  With Lucius gone, Draco continues to live in shame, with his mother, whom had chosen to not serve Voldemort, a risk for a family who has long-time been in league with the Dark Lord.  This story picks up during the summer between Draco's 6th and 7th year.  With only one more year before he graduates, his father in jail, and very little pride left in him, Draco decides that the wizarding world may not be for him.  At least not for the time being, considering all that has happened to his family.  He decides that with his father out of the way, he is able to think and do things on his own.  With his mother not having much of a problem with muggles, Draco decides that the only way he will be able to get away from all of the negative attention, is to disguise himself as the only thing he was told to look down on: A muggle...**

AND MY STORY BEGINS...

Draco wandered around his huge, seemingly empty home.  His father was no longer here to torment and physically abuse him.  That was a plus, Draco decided.  He had secretly wanted his father to leave, so that he didn't have to live in pain and fear of him.  

All his life, he had been taught the ways of the Dark side.  He was told that muggles or muggle borns were lower and less important than "pure bloods", such as the members of his family.  But as he grew as a teenager, and he was around so many others who had so many other opinions, he began to think for himself.  He let go of the things his father taught him.  

Also, he had had long chats with his mother, alone, and he learned of the good side.  Of how she did not agree with the Dark Arts and was forced into the marriage by her parents.  To his surprise, the first time they had such a talk, when he was 12 and in his second year at Hogwarts, the talk had ended with him awkwardly holding his mother and trying to comfort her while she wept about how Lucius was ruinging her life, and how she wished that she had not brought Draco into such a cruel, dark, and abusive world.  Like all mothers, she wished the best for her child, but with Lucius around making all of the decisions and speaking for them, she never had the chance to help nurture her son's individuality and free mind.  And she felt so guilty…

He suddenly found himself sitting on a large, cushy bench covered with a black velvet seat in one of the many long corridors of the manor.  It seemed, now, that he found himself here a lot.  Just sitting.  Trying to figure out his life.  Especially now that his father was gone, that his family name was disgraced…

Finally sighing, running a hand through his white-blond hair, which was now slightly fluffed and out of place from lack of gel, he got up off the bench and headed for the sitting room.  

Since his father had left, Draco had begun wearing muggle clothes, instead of elaborate, expensive cloaks, as he was used to wearing.  He had privately taken a Muggle Studies class the year before, in his 6th year, hoping to learn about muggle life, dress, culture, and entertainment.  He had found the clothing to be different, free-spirited, and much more comfortable.  Exchanging his wizard money for muggle money at Gringotts, he bought several outfits.  Currently, he was wearing a maroon-red, tight-fitting muscle tee and baggy black jeans that didn't sag below his waist, but were still loose fitting and comfortable.  He also had on a spiked dog collar that he had found at a store full of "rebel" clothing, as the name of the store was "Rebel Crossing", _(A/N: Sorry, I just think Draco would be soooo friggin' sexy in a dog collar…_J_)_ that he enjoyed wearing.  He would never admit such a thing to his father, but the muggles seemed to have more things.  They had devises, small and large, that looked more magical that some of the things he had been brought up to use and deal with.  He deeply admired things that he had seen in muggle stores called "televisions", which flashed moving pictures, and "computers", with which you could hit letters on a keyboard, and you could see the words you made right on the screen in front of you.  He was fascinated by all of these things.

Arriving in the sitting room, he found his mother sitting in a large, cushy armchair, reading a book that she had borrowed from Draco entitled, ­­­­­­­­­"Crescendo" by Terry J. Moyer [1]. He had picked it up off the shelf of a muggle bookstore randomly, and ended up really liking the book.  

As he entered, Narcissa Malfoy looked up at her 17-year-old son.  Wishing she could freeze that frame of him, she admired him:  He had been abused and torn to shreds all of his life; forced to live and fear the Dark Arts, yet, here was a misunderstood, adventure-loving boy who was not only smart, but tall, well built, beautiful.  He had a style that she also loved.  Once his father was taken, Draco had gone out and freed himself of the ridicules from Lucius.  He became his own person.

"Hi mom, how's the book?"  He asked kindly, falling back onto the couch.

"It's a nice book.  Very inspirational, I think.  If only I understood what a tenor sax or an oboe was…" she said.  She looked at him.  He was staring at the foot of the couch, brow furrowed.  "How're you doing, baby?"

He sighed, suddenly very agitated and worried.  "What am I gonna do, Mom?  I'm gonna go back to Hogwarts and everyone – " He broke off.  "Everyone is convinced that I am exactly like him.  I can't…I can't go back to that…I don't think…no…I couldn't take it…" He put his face in his hands.

His mother was saddened about how misread he was at school.  He was in Slytherin, the House that always spit out Dark wizards.  Plus, with his father in Azkaban, Draco would return to a living hell back at Hogwarts.  Not to mention, Voldemort would be very unhappy that one of his Death Eaters was thrown away in prison, while his wife and son denied him and the Dark side…

"Well…I mean…now that…your father is gone, and you are involving yourself more and more in the muggle world, then perhaps…" She sighed, but smiled slightly.  "Perhaps you could find a hobby.  Something to do in the muggle world…you know, to take your mind off of all that has gone on in the past few months.  Who knows," she said getting up, striding over to her son, and taking him in her arms, "maybe you'll go back to Hogwarts much happier and ready to face the other students and professors.  What do you think, Draco?"

Hugging his mother and sighing, "That's a good idea."  Thinking for a few seconds more, he grinned.  A very large, please grin.  "That's a very good idea."  Finally, he smiled.  Not the typical smirk that he had gotten from his father, but an actual, genuine, beautiful, white-toothed smile.

Showing a rare smile herself, Narcissa kissed her son's forehead, and asked, "Well, when you're out in they're world, what do you see?  What kind of things do they do, those muggles?"

"Um…they enjoy…music, books, sports, shopping…they're exactly like us Mom," Draco said.  "They just don't carry wands…but they have some of the most amazing things you've ever seen!  Large and small things…like magic that we've never seen before.  Oh, I wish I could get my hands on some and show you…!"

"So you're going to buy something cool, without understanding what it is and what it does then?" Narcissa asked, quirking an eyebrow, but knowing that Draco had not meant that, but instead he got excited and went off on a tangent.

"No Mom," he sighed.  "I saw that they also…danced…sure they waltz and everything, but I walked past a dance studio one day…they have the liveliest, hardest, most sensual dances you've ever seen performed.  That's what I want to do.  I want to learn how to dance."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

My first Harry Potter story!! YEA! Go Captain, go Captain…!  LOL, anyway, I hope you like it so far…I already have ideas for what could happen if and when Lucius gets out of Azkaban, but if you guys aren't liking this story, I won't write it…but I hate Lucius…I want Draco to be a nice, sexy boy…well, he's already sexy, it's the nice part that he's got to work on…*wink*…so tell me how I'm doing…this will be a romance and probably pretty dramatic because Draco's life is going down the drain here.  Can I make him cry?? Can I, can I, can I?? Tell me yes or no, pwease.  Many thankies!

[1] ~ Crescendo, by Terry J. Moyer, is one of my favorite stories.  I happen to be a band geek (yes, "geek", not "nerd").  I play alto sax, flute, and oboe.  It's such an inspirational story and I recommend it for anyone, band student or not, IT WILL MAKE YOU CRY!  If you want a more "in depth" summary/review of it, check out this link.  It's a review that I wrote for it on amazon.com.  It's the one called "An amazing inspiration".  Check it out and read the book! It is soooo good!


	2. Chapter 2

Hey, hey, hey!  I have no clue where this story is going as of right now, let alone know how long it will be when I'm finished.  Am I doing OK, or should I just take down the story altogether?

Draco walked into the dance studio that he had passed just a week before.  He had traded more Galleons at Gringotts for muggle money, and was ready to pay for dance lessons.

Walking up to a rather plump, brunette lady standing behind the desk, he said, "Hello."

Turning to him, she said, "Hey hun, what can I do for ya?"  She was clearly American.

"Um, I want to take dance lessons…for um…2 months…" He knew he sounded lame.  He began to flush red.

The lady chuckled.  "Yeah, alrighty, Sweets.  What form of dance then?  Oh, and before you make up your mind, we have a special.  If you take Swing, you can then learn Hip-Hop free of charge.  A total of $55.00.  It would usually be $110.00 total.  It's a bargain, Blondie-locks, how about it?"  She snapped the large bubble of pink bubble gum that she had been smacking in her mouth, her dark blue eyes looking at Draco with slight amusement.  "You look ready to get down and dirty.  You looking for a gal?"

Running a hand through his hair, which was now slightly gelled, he gave her an embarrassed look.  "Well, no, not really.  I'm um…just going through a tough time right now…needed to get away from home…be free to do something that I want to do."  Draco felt a little stupid telling some woman working as a financial secretary for a dance studio his story, but she gave him a caring sympathetic look anyway.  

"Well don't you worry, Hun, you'll end up findin' some lucky chick," the lady said, once again smacking her gum, the American side peaking out again.  **_(A/N: Not to offend any Americans…I am one!)_**  "So you in?  It's an 8-week course.  It was made to end just before the start of school."  She leaned over the desk and peaked over her glasses to observe Draco closely.  "You ARE in school, ain't you, boy?"

Smiling, Draco answered, "Yes ma'am.  At a private school.  A fine one actually."

Obviously impressed with a teenage boy who called her "ma'am" instead of "woman" or "old broad", she said, "Well, that MUST be fine school…teaching their boys good manners, I see.  Well the class starts…" She checked her watch, "Oh goodness…it began 5 minutes ago!  Go to the end of that hall, take a right, then all the way down the hall again…on the left is a staircase…go down that, and the only door down there is the only to the largest studio…they one that all of these classes will be in."

"Wow, thanks!"  Draco said.  He paid the lady, shook her hand (to her surprise), then took off at a sprint down the hall.

"Be sure to fill out a form and return it to me at the end of the classes today so I can register you!" She called.

Nodding, and giving her a thumbs up, Draco continued down the hall, turned right, ran down that hall, took a left and immediately came to a staircase.  Almost jumping down the steps, he came to the door, opened it, and was introduced into a whole new world.  A world of freedom.
    
    The dance studio was a huge room with a polished hardwood floor.  One thing that really intrigued Draco was the way of lighting the place, as well as every place in the muggle world, apparently.  The light came from the
    
    ceiling, and there was not a candle in sight.  He could not judge exactly where the light was coming from, or, what source it was coming from, rather, but it was doing its job.  It lit the room so that there wasn't a shadow in it.
    
    Also, he noticed long mirrors along the walls.  Three of the four walls were covered in long, wide mirrors that reached no less than 12 feet onto the wall.  On the wall without a mirror, 3/4 of the wall was covered in a big blue mat.  Probably for protection, Draco figured.  And a door was next to it, which was currently closed, that had a blue sign on it that said, in white letters, EQUIPMENT STORAGE ROOM, STUDIO #14.
    
    Walking in, he saw that although the class had "started", all people were doing was either stretching, talking, or giggling over the people stretching, as they were bending (especially the girls), and the boys were staring. Some dared to catcall to some of the girls.
    
    Draco slowly walked up to one pair of boys, who didn't notice him, as they were too distracted by a rather shapely girl, or young woman, who was stretching out.  With layered brown hair and long muscular legs, Draco saw the reason the two boys were so enticed by her.  She never did, however, turn around; not even when one of the two boys shouted, "Hey baBEE!  How far CAN you bend over?"
    
    Draco sniggered and turned away, slightly embarrassed, but also knowing why the boys were so interested in her.  She had thick, layered brown hair, muscular legs and arms, and the light pink sports bra and stretchy, flared black jazz pants showed almost every curve of her slender body.  Draco was immediately entranced.
    
    "Alright dancers!  Meet over at the blue mat on the wall.  You've all got 3 seconds!" One of the instructors yelled.  She was also clearly in shape, but easily 30 years old.
    
    "C'mon, c'mon! Hustle now!" Yelled the other instructor, this one, a man.  He was heavily built, with bulging arms, and tight abs, he just had to be body-builder.  So following the lead of the other students (there were around 15 or so), Draco sprinted across the large gym to the opposite wall which had the pad on the wall.  Draco stayed in the back, hidden from the others, hoping that he could learn first, and be introduced later.  He was new at this, and by what the male instructor was saying now, these kids were already dancers, and when the male instructor said, "best in the state", Draco figured that they were very good.
    
    But much to Draco's disappointment, the female instructor, who was standing behind the other instructor, had noticed the new, shockingly blonde boy in the back, and made it known.  "Hey, are you new?  I don't remember seeing you in any other dance classes, Blondie."
    
    Draco, for one, was starting to get sick of the name "Blondie".  But the annoyance of being called the name was not even comparable to the humiliation of having the whole class looking his way.  It only got worse when he heard a loud gasp coming from a girl in the front.  It was the girl with the pink sports bra and black jazz pants.
    
    It was Hermione Granger.
    
    Draco's eyes widened as he spotted her.  He was stunned.  Not only did he not expect to see her around, but he didn't expect her to be so......so......pretty......
    
    "Malfoy!" She hissed, with a large eyes and an angry look on her face.
    
    The male instructor looked her way.  "Do you know him, 'Mione?"
    
    Hermione jerked around to face him.  "Uhm......yeah......yeah, Chase, I do.  We uh......we're classmates."
    
    "Classmates," Chase, the instructor said.  "At the school that no one knows about?"  The class laughed.  Apparently Hermione had been asked, in the past, about her school, but didn't, thankfully, share anything about Hogwarts.  
    
    "Um, Chase," started Hermione, "can I have a word alone with him?"
    
    The class began to whistle.  "OH HUSH!" Hermione yelled at them.  The class giggled.
    
    Chase smiled, "Yeah sure.  Take him back there - " he nodded to the back wall " - and catch him up if you can, OK?"
    
    "Yeah," said Hermione.  She got up and walked, glaring, over to Draco.  "Follow me," she sneered, so that no one could hear her.  Draco obeyed.  He rose, and followed her to the mirrored wall at the other end of the dance gym.  Upon reaching the other side, Hermione spun around and cornered him with an icy gaze.  "What the hell are you doing here!"
    
    Draco gave her a tired (not bored and arrogant) look, but one that suggested that he was almost defenseless, and didn't want to be bothered, but was too tired to fight.  He just sighed and said, "I was trying to get away from people like you."
    
    Her eyes widened in anger.  "People like me?  What, 'mudbloods'?"
    
    Draco shook his head.  "No.  Wizards."
    
    Hermione looked confused.  "I thought – " she stopped and recomposed herself.  "I never thought I'd see the day when a Malfoy came strolling along in the muggle world.  This is rich, Malfoy, very rich.  What do you think you are you playing at?"
    
    "Nothing.  I just need to get away from the wizard world for now."
    
    Hermione thought about it for a second, then said, "Oooh.  Because of your father huh."  She grinned.  "Couldn't stand being disgraced in the wizard world so you fled to the muggle world for a second chance – "
    
    "Damn straight, I did!"  Draco yelled, finally releasing his anger.  Hermione looked alarmed for a moment, then snatched a quick look at the rest of the class, as they had gone dead silent.  They were all staring at the pair, confused.  
    
    Chase looked up from the group as well, and yelled over to them, "Hey! We ok, you two?"
    
    Hermione nodded quickly and called back, "Yeah, we're OK."  She turned back to Draco, and flinched slightly at the sight of his silver eyes, fiery with anger.  "You better…better come with me," she gently urged.  "Outside."  She placed a gentle hand on his arm and steered him to another door that led to the outside world.  Draco reluctantly followed, ignoring the stares from the other students.  
    
    Once outside, Hermione looked at him.  "What?  You – you did – just because – um…"
    
    "What do you think, Granger?!"
    
    Hermione jumped slightly at his outburst, but stayed silent and listened to what he was saying.
    
    "Reputation or no reputation, my father has attracted attention to my family in a way that no one – NO ONE – can forgive us!  Do you know how famous I am going to be when – ?"   He would have continued, but Hermione cut him off there, without letting him finish.
    
    "Now you wait just one minute, Draco Malfoy," she warned in death-cold tone, matching with an equally as nasty stare.  "I'm not exactly sure why you, off all people, are complaining about fame, but I do know this:  Harry has lived with fame all his life, and he absolutely can not stand all the looks…all the rumors and lies just because of one tiny scar – !"  Here, it was Draco's turn to cut her off.  His silver eyes were once again flaming; like chrome orbs, with the sun's rays bouncing off of them.
    
    "Potter?!  You're using _Harry Potter_ as an example?!"  He raged.  "He complains about _his_ fame, does he?  Yes, I will admit that over the years, his fame has caused him pain and countless unwanted rumors flying about, but don't you understand why?!  He's famous because he was able to do something that NO ONE else has been able to do, Granger!  Potter's got the _good_ kind of fame – "
    
    "GOOD KIND of fame?!"  
    
    "YES! The good kind!  He will forever be recognized – and I know that that annoys him – but for all the right reasons.  Do you know how many people want to _be_ him?  Do you even _know_?  I see people all the time…at school, at home…people who I thought were destined to be Dark wizards, who just _wish_ to be him for day!  They want what he has, pain or no pain!"  Draco yelled, desperate for her to understand.
    
    Hermione nervously looked around them, hoping that no one would hear their conversation, as odd, fake – to a muggle's ears – names and referenced might be made.  They were by a parking lot, but luckily, only a few cars were here, and they were all empty.  She looked back up into Draco's intense, angry, desperate gaze…
    
    "Granger…" he breathed.  "You have NO idea!  NO IDEA!  I am now famous for being the son of a faithful Death Eater!  I am going to be known as – "
    
    "You ARE the son of a faithful Death Eater!! What are you talking about, 'I am now famous for being the son of a faithful Death Eater…'!  Everyone knows already!  Harry was there the evening Voldemort returned!"  (For some reason, Draco seemed to flinch ever so slightly at the name…)  "He used Harry's blood to bring him back!  Harry named you're father when he got back to Hogwarts!  People already know, Malfoy!  They know who you are and what you are going to be when you are eighteen! A DEATH EATER!!"
    
    Draco did not answer.  He looked… ashamed… as Hermione had never seen him before… not only ashamed… but… helpless, embarrassed, lonely… lost…………broken…
    
    Hermione was fuming.  Her breath was labored, and her brown eyes flaring in anger.  Her thick hair was blowing the cool summer breeze; her hands were clenched into fists and her knuckles were turning ghost white.  It took a few seconds for Hermione to actually focus and let his expression register in her mind.
    
    Draco lost the burning look in his eyes.  In fact, he had lost all of his anger.  He looked very tired and emotionally pained.  Hermione didn't understand his behavior.  She couldn't figure out why he was upset about something that he usually seemed so proud of.
    
    He walked to the edge of the curb just a few feet away and sat down, slumped.  "If only you knew, Hermione."
    
    With her hands on her hips, she said very darkly, "Only knew _what_, Malfoy?"  Although he had been daring enough to use her first name, she kept herself armed but using his last.
    
    He swallowed and kept his eyes down.  "Everyone thinks I'm like him.  But I'm not.  I am ashamed of my father.  Yes, there you go.  Living proof that I am a coward.  I'm ashamed of the Dark side, and ever being associated with it in the first place.  He…he would never stand to here me say that.  I tried once, and he beat me into submission.  Really, truly… he did… I was blinded for a week and covered in all kinds of nasty wounds a couple of summers ago.  I've got permanent scars from that man.  Scars that even Potter would be impressed with."  Draco felt that he was carrying on, and the light bit of humor that he tried to throw in at the end probably was not making it any better.  Plus, Hermione Granger, of all people, one of his enemies, did not seem like the kind of person to stand there and listen to his whining.  But strangely, he did not hear the door to the studio open and slam, like he had expected it to.
    
    Instead of that, he got a very quiet, shaky, "W – wh – what?"
    
    "You heard me, Granger," he bit off, now annoyed, but still emotionally weakened by the thought of what happened ever time Draco tried to take a stand against his father.  Shaking his head when she didn't say anything, he turned to her and slowly stood.  "Do you know what I am going to have to face when I go back there?  Sure, Potter complains about rumors and jokes and all, but I'm going to have it worse.  I'm going to actually lift all of the attention off a Potter because of what my father has done, and the fact that he is now in Azkaban.  I don't want that attention.  I want the attention that I've always gotten.  Where people respect me, and stay out of my way, no matter the cruel things I may threaten to do to them.  Yes, it's selfish.  It's extremely selfish, I understand that.  But I had no other way of reacting.  The only way I could keep myself happy was to watch others suffer, as I had been brought up to do.  My mother was always against everything that my father was for.  I get my soul from her.  I get my knowledge from…from people like you."  He finished, hoping that by saying 'people like you', he was not offending her, as, for once, he was not meaning to.
    
    Confused, but with a worried expression, she whispered, "What…people like me…I don't understand what you mean to say – "
    
    "Wizards.  Like I said before.  Wizards.  Real people.  True people."  Draco said.  "No way is my father real.  He is only what… Voldemort… " he cringed slightly again "… wanted him to be, and therefore, I had to be the same.  That's just… that just the way it is."
    
    "Was."
    
    "Pardon?"
    
    "Was.  You said 'that's just the way it is', when you should have just said, 'the way is _was'."  Hermione pointed out, giving him a tiny, reassuring grin.  "You're in the muggle world now.  Anything is possible.  And you don't need funny words or magical objects to do what you want to do."  Hermione felt a little awkward, at the moment.  Here she was trying to comfort a boy who had, for years, tortured, and ridiculed her and her closest friends, just to see them suffer at his feet.  But it was because he had been treated the same way.  He was forced to bow down, away from his own mind and opinions, and follow the ways of another person.  And Hermione felt sorry for anyone who had to go through that.  Even if it was the same person who, so many times, made it seem as though life was nothing more than Hell surfacing.  "C'mon… we have a class to attend," she said, quietly, but sweetly.  "… Draco."_
    
    He looked at her again.  "Thanks," he mumbled, then headed for the door, which he politely held open for her.  
    
    Rejoining the group, the member's of it were looking quite confused and even worried.  "Hey, sorry it took so long guys," Hermione smiled, rubbing her hands together.  "We just got caught up in talking about school, I guess, sorry."  She blushed.
    
    Chase looked at her funny, but said, "Well, Hermione, does our newest member have a name?"
    
    Looking over at him, Hermione said quite clearly, "Yeah.  This is Malfoy.  Draco Malfoy."
    
    **_How am I doin'?  OOO! I HAVE A HUGE QUESTION FOR YOU! In the next chapter, I want to make a reference to the value of Dollars versus Galleons.  Ya know, X number of $$$ is equal to X number of Galleons…I don't think it's ever been mentioned in the books, the value relationship between them, but if any of you know for some reason, I would like to know what it is.  Otherwise, I will just make something up.  THANKS!!_**
    
    ****
    
    **_CAPTAIN POCKY_**


	3. Chapter 3

I am a band geek … just want ya'll to know that.  And there will be references to band in this chapter.  In fact, this whole chapter may be about music, marching band and instruments.  So if you're not a band person, I'M SORRY!! The other chapters won't be like this one, and I don't think that Draco and Hermione will fight like they did in chapter 2, the more I think about it, I think it was a little too intense.  

And yes, I also know that marching band takes place during the school year, but in this case, it takes place during the summer.  God I love bending the rules.  One of the many reasons I love to write fiction.  I can do whatever I want!

Also, thank you so much to those who helped me out with the conversions from U.S. Dollars to Galleons … you must realize that I am American, so I don't understand the British monetary system (SORRY AGAIN!) so all the money references in this story will be about Dollars and Galleons.  But in your reviews, I got several different conversions … none of them were the same so I think I will just have to make my own.  I know that Galleons are gold, so it's obviously not cheap.  In this story, I am saying that 1 Galleon is equal to 15 Dollars.  Yeah.  So.  On with the story then … Hope you like!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The class, to Draco, seemed very uneventful from the time he came back in with Hermione, to the time the class ended for the day.  Each class was an hour long, and the two classes were … well, boring.  The dance team, at first, did nothing but review basic steps, which Draco watched from the back.  He noticed that Hermione was always demonstrating.  He never knew that she was so coordinated.  He had only ever seen her walking down the halls at school, and dancing once at the Yule Ball in their fourth year, but never doing fresh hip-hop steps.  It was all so weird to him.

The last class ended, and Hermione excused herself from Draco to jump in the shower and change.  Waiting patiently against the wall, while everyone else was showering and warming down, Draco thought about … everything and nothing at the same time, it seemed like.  His father was obviously a huge, die-hard supporter of Voldemort, and was sent to Azkaban, the feared wizard prison when caught performing several curses on muggles, two of which, had ultimately died just after the wizard police seized Lucius.

Then to top that, he was wandering around in the muggle world, without a clue as to how life here operated. He knew nothing about anything the muggles did or had.  Luckily, he found Hermione, who, right now, seemed very friendly and understanding.  Just a couple of things that he had never seen in her before.  Then again, that probably also had something to do with the fact that he continuously called her Mudblood, and tried to jinx her friends at every possible chance he had.

It was all so sudden, and Draco didn't know what to think of it all just now.  How _would_ his fellow classmates react when they saw him next at Hogwarts?  He was already considered the Prince of Slytherin, the House that only spit out Dark Wizards.  But it would only get worse.  Or would it?  Only time will tell.

Draco was yanked from his thoughts as the locker room door opened and slammed and Hermione came out, with baggy, dusty orange, draw-string cargo pants, black tennis shoes, and a black baby tee that showed about two inches of her midriff.  Her wet, brown hair was tamed, and up in a large clip on the back of her head.  Grabbing her bag, putting on sunglasses, she said, smiling just a little, "Hey, you wanna come with me?  I can … I can probably take you back home.  Um … how did you get here in the first place?"

"Walked," said Draco.  "Bit of a long walk, but I made it."

"Oh … OK," said Hermione, "well I can still take you home.  It'll but much faster if I just drive you there."

"Drive?"

"Yeah, in my car."

Draco looked confused.  _Another muggle thing that I need to learn about …_ "Yeah, um, sure … if you could."

Hermione grinned, a little nervously.  "OK, follow me then."

Getting up and following her out the door they had exited earlier that day.  Shielding his eyes from the bright, afternoon sun, he dizzily followed Hermione across the parking lot to a shiny, silver, Mustang GT Convertible _(A/N: My dream car … God, I want a Mustang convertible soooo bad!)_  

Popping the trunk, she dumped her bag and turned to Draco.  "So … meet my car."

"Er … hello …"

Hermione laughed.  "My dream car, this is.  I saved up, and my dad matched what I had because of my grades, being a prefect, marching band soloist and drum major, dance and track champ … and it all paid off cuz now I have this baby!"  Hermione said, obviously very proud.  Draco, who had seen special Ministry cars before, but never seeing one without a top, just stared at the car.

"So, was it expensive?"

Eyeing him, "Money, money, money … tisk, tisk," she teased.  "Yeah, lots and lots of dough."

"Um, 'dough'"?

"Money, Malfoy, money.  Dough is slang."

"I see …" Draco said uncertainly.  "May I ask how much … just wondering …"

Shaking her head and smiling, Hermione said, "Bought this baby new for $29,000.  Equal to about 1933 Galleons."  Draco looked impressed.  Slightly …  

"Sweet."

Hermione laughed again.  "Well, anyway, hop in.  And do you mind if I drop some stuff off at a friend's house?  She's been sick, but I need to give her some stuff."

"Yeah, I don't really care."

"Great!  And don't worry, you'll get used to driving.  It's fast!"

"Fast?  Did you say fast?  I like speed," Draco said, grinning slightly.

Again, Hermione giggled.  "Whatever, get in."  With that, Draco got in on the right side, _(A/N: Again, since I am American, and American cars sit the driver on the left side, Draco must sit on the right side, the passenger side.  Sorry to English readers, if I have any!)_ and shut the door.  "Seatbelt, Malfoy," Hermione instructed, fastening hers in place.

"What?"

"Seatbelt, for protection."

"Um, yeah, OK …" He looked, but didn't understand what it was he was being told to do.  

Hermione reached around him, pulled the seatbelt, and fastened it securely by Draco's left hip.  "There we go."

"Alrighty, hold on, here we go," Hermione said as she turned the engine, put it into gear, and pulled out of the parking lot.  Turning onto a busy street, she decided, "This sucks, we're taking a short cut."  

Pulling off the street and heading for what seemed to be a large, unpaved field, Hermione looked over at Draco, "You cool?"

"Um … yeah, yeah, I'm OK," Draco said.  "Nice car.  Handles well … like a SonicBoom. _(A/N: I made up the SonicBoom … faster and more powerful than the Firebolt broom, I guess … this is the future and I'm sure that by now, a broom has been made to surpass the Firebolt.)  _Those SonicBoom's are … something …"

Hermione had an expression on her face that suggested that she was halfway between amusement and disgust.  "You are comparing my car, an expensive and sophisticated muggle form of transportation, to a _broom_?  I find that almost … insulting, Draco."

"Sorry, but you have to remember … I know virtually nothing of this world.  I only know what I know, and that is, obviously what I know," Draco said grinning.

Hermione looked confused, by quirking an eyebrow, but shrugged it of and focused herself on the road.  She had turned into the field, which was now divided by a long, endless dirt road.  "Are you sure that you know …"Draco started, but was interrupted:

"I know what I know, Draco.  And that's what I know," she grinned.  Seeing that she was the only one on this dirt road, Hermione suddenly changed gears and, well … floored it.  

Of course, Mustang GT convertibles can really move.  And quickly.  Draco seemed very surprised that suddenly they were going to fast.  Hermione giggled when she heard Draco give a tiny yelp of surprise as the engine roared and propelled the automobile forward.

"Draco," Hermione yelled over the noise of the car, "welcome to the muggle world!"

Draco looked over at her and saw the grin on her face.  The grin was contagious, and he felt it on his face as well.  Looking at the road ahead of them, Draco said, "Thanks, glad to be here," with just as much playfulness as her welcoming.  He suddenly, and uncharacteristically, through his fists into the air and let out a joyous cry that expressed nothing but thankfulness for freedom.  Hermione didn't have to ask him to know that Draco's spirit was soaring like an eagle above the clouds right now.  Even if his soul was high above the clouds, led by a Mudblood …

It was a fairly long drive, and in the back of his mind, Draco was starting to wonder whether or not this was actually a short cut or just an excuse … wait.  What excuse?  For what?  Draco decided that right now may not be the best time to think about it.  He was having too  much … fun …

The scenery truly was different, but interesting.  It was tan and gold, with green and white scattered.  Swirling dust trailed along behind them, as if trying to catch up with the speeding silver car.  Glancing over at the speedometer on the car, Draco noticed that they were going an easy 125 mph.  So dangerous, but when had he ever been worried about dangerous?  This was the most exhilarating fun that he had since the last time he was on his new SonicBoom … which, considering all that had happened just a few shorts weeks ago, seemed so long ago.

He looked over at Hermione, who had one of the biggest, most gorgeous smiles he had ever seen.  Her silky bronze hair flowed in the wind like waves in the sea.  He had never noticed it before.  Her beauty, that is.  He had only seen her in Hogwarts robes with floofy hair and big teeth.  She was more.  She was so much more …

Hermione turned to him and smiled, "How ya doing?  Having fun in muggle luxury?"

"Yeah, this is smooth.  You muggles sure have some of the coolest things, I gotta tell you," Draco admitted, still looking at the long dirt road still ahead of them.  "I'd love to see what else you have."

Hermione smiled at him, slowing the car down.  "Well, we're almost to my friend's house.  After that, do you want to … well, I mean … I could take you to … my house …" She began blushing blood red.

Draco returned her awkward smile, "Yeah, that would be nice."

Hermione turned her attention back to the road.  Up ahead about 300 yards was a large tan house, just on the edge of a forest that was slowly creeping up on the field.  "This is it.  This is my friend, Sydney's house."

Pulling to a stop, Hermione got out of the car, and bent over to the back seat, reaching for something.  Draco had not noticed that anything was in the back seat, but turning, he saw several rectangular cases in the back.  Hermione dug around for a certain one, popped it open briefly, and Draco saw something glimmering chrome silver.  "What's that?"  He blurted out.

"Oh, this?"  Hermione said, still holding the black case.  "A trumpet.  Ya know, a musical instrument.  It's a brass instrument."  Draco still stared at her blankly.  "Lemme show you."

Hermione once again took the trumpet out of the case, shoved the mouthpiece into one end of the thing.  To Draco, it looked like nothing more than just a long silver tube coiled around itself.  But Hermione set it to her lips, took a deep breath, and blew through the instrument.  A strange, metallic sound came out of it.  Placing her fingers on the valves, she pushed them down: The first one, then the first two, then the first and third, then the second only, and each time, a different pitch came out.  Stopping, she smiled at Draco.  "Like that.  That's basically a trumpet for you."

She began to put it away, when Draco said, "Don't stop.  That sounded good!"

Taken aback, Hermione once again placed the trumpets to her lips and began to play.  This time, a bouncy piece, very fast with lots of different notes.  It sounded really quite fun.  Draco barely noticed that one of the great French doors to the large house had opened, and a brunette girl came outside with another instrument in her hand.  Hermione stopped to wave to the girl, but with a hand signal from the girl, Hermione started playing the same bouncy part again, but this time, the other girl joined in, playing perfect harmony with her.  They were completely together in time, rhythm and notes.  Draco was amazed.  

As the riff ended, both girls laughed.  The girl said, "So Hermione, borrowing my trumpet to entertain –" the girl turned to look at Draco.  Seeing how handsome he really was, she continued, almost dreamily, "- to entertain very good-lookin' teenage boys, I see."  She giggled, and Hermione did too, to Draco's surprise.

"Syd, this is Draco Malfoy.  He goes to my school."  

Syd looked at him, thinking.  "Um, Mione … isn't he … ya know, that guy that you always said was kinda … mean?"  Syd flushed, and turned away from Draco, who also looked a little embarrassed.

Hermione flushed along with her friend, but said, "Oh well … things change, Syddie.  You know that.  He's actually a really a cool guy."  She smiled at him, and he smiled back, appreciating the compliment.  "Aren't you, Draco?"  Hermione joked as she leaned over and pinched his cheek.  Both girls fell victim to an eruption of giggles.  Draco was also sniggering at the joke.  

Regaining composure, Sydney said, "Well, thanks Mione!  Thanks for grabbing my trumpet for me!  I wasn't sure that I would be able to march this season.  The drum majors faxed me the steps and show music."

"That's good," Hermione said.  "And no problem.  But I gotta go.  See you around then!"

"Of course, girlie!"

Sydney pulled Hermione into a friendly hug, then grabbed the instrument she was playing, and the trumpet and bounded back inside, but not before sneaking another glance at Draco, who lazily waved as she disappeared into the house.

"Nice girl," Draco said as Hermione got back into the car, and began to drive off again, but not at the break-neck speed that she had first gone at.

"Oh yeah, she's such a sweetheart," Hermione beamed.

For a couple of minutes, they drove in silence, but finally Hermione said, "Ack, I need music now!!  You don't mind if I flip on a few tunes, do you Draco?"

"Uh no, that'd be cool."

He watched her carefully as she turned a few nobs and suddenly music began playing.  

"Oh Sweet!!" Hermione gasped.  "I love this song!  It's called 'Just Like a Pill' by Pink!  You gotta listen to this."

She turned the music up louder, and the lyrics exploded from the car:

I'm lyin' here on the floor where you left me   
I think I took too much   
I'm crying here, what have you done?   
I thought it would be fun   
  
I can't stay on your life support, there's a  
shortage in the switch,   
I can't stay on your morphine, cuz its making me  
itch   
I said I tried to call the nurse again but shes  
being a little bitch,   
I think I'll get outta here, where I can   
  
Run just as fast as I can   
To the middle of nowhere   
To the middle of my frustrated fears   
And I swear you're just like a pill   
Instead of makin' me better, you keep makin' me  
ill   
You keep makin' me ill   
  
I haven't moved from the spot where you left me   
This must be a bad trip   
All of the other pills, they were different   
Maybe I should get some help   
  
I can't stay on your life support, there's a  
shortage in the switch,   
I can't stay on your morphine, cuz its making me  
itch   
I said I tried to call the nurse again but shes  
being a little bitch,   
I think I'll get outta here, where I can   
  
Run just as fast as I can   
To the middle of nowhere   
To the middle of my frustrated fears   
And I swear you're just like a pill   
Instead of makin' me better, you keep makin' me  
ill   
You keep makin' me ill  
  
Run just as fast as I can   
To the middle of nowhere   
To the middle of my frustrated fears   
And I swear you're just like a pill   
Instead of makin' me better, you keep makin' me  
ill   
You keep makin' me ill   
  
I can't stay on your life support, there's a  
shortage in the switch,   
I can't stay on your morphine, cuz its making me  
itch   
I said I tried to call the nurse again but shes  
being a little bitch,   
I think I'll get outta here, where I can   
  
Run just as fast as I can   
To the middle of nowhere   
To the middle of my frustrated fears   
And I swear you're just like a pill   
Instead of makin' me better, you keep makin' me  
ill   
You keep makin' me ill

Draco glanced over at her to see her singing along at the top of her lungs, putting emphasis on "bitch" every time it came up.  Draco laughed as the song ended, and Hermione moaned a little as the song died away.

"So, what did you think?"  Hermione asked.

"Um … it was … bitchy," answered Draco with a straight face.

Hermione cracked up.  "Yeah, I thought so too the first time I heard it.  God, I love that song."

"Yeah," Draco said silently so that Hermione couldn't hear him, "so do I, honey."

For the next few minutes, they drove with more songs playing on the radio, but then they were suddenly in a neighborhood with very large, classy homes that reminded Draco of his own Manor.  

Pulling to a stop in front of one, Hermione announced.  "Well, here we are.  My home."

Draco got out and stared at the mansion.  "It's … perfect."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

HA! I'm gonna make you wait!! Well, actually, I would keep going, but it's like 10 45 pm and I've been typing since like 7 pm and my hands are tired.  WAHHHHHHH! So I'm done for now.  What do you think?  


End file.
